Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon delivered a speech while visiting Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in October. The prince’s visit was part of a larger tour, recognizing the 200th anniversary of organized Norwegian immigration to the United States. (File photo)
Portions of downtown Decorah were aflutter with Norwegian flags and activity during a visit from Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon in early October. The prince’s local stop was the first leg of a tour that week, recognizing the 200th anniversary of organized Norwegian immigration to the U.S. The prince was also scheduled to make stops in Minnesota before traveling to New York in order to welcome the arrival of a replica sailing ship which had retraced voyage of the ship Restauration — the original vessel had carried 52 Norwegians across the Atlantic in 1825.
Haakon’s time in Decorah began at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, where he greeted local officials, observed a performance by Decorah’s Nordic Dancers and helped dedicate the Royal Family Samlingshall – the large main-floor gathering space in the museum’s Hanson Vesterheim Commons building. The prince also received Vesterheim’s Den Høyeste Ære – or Highest Honor – on behalf of the royal family.
“Today is a tribute to the past, a celebration of the present and an inspiration for generations to come,” said Chris Johnson, president and CEO of Vesterheim.
The prince said the voyage of the Restauration and its 52 passengers 200 years ago marked the beginning of a wave of immigration from Norway to the U.S. and ultimately created strong bonds between the two countries. He said those bonds are exemplified in communities such as Decorah.
“It is great to see how Norwegian traditions and culture are not only preserved in this part of the U.S., they are celebrated and passed on with pride, not just as dusty memories but as a unique heritage that continues to bring people together around shared identity,” Haakon said.
Chris Trygstad, chair of Vesterheim’s Board of Trustees, credited the community’s cultural emphasis to the Norwegian immigrants of the past, saying they brought more than their belongings with them as they crossed the ocean.
“They carried traditions, resilience and deep commitment to community, which I think we see today here,” Trygstad said. “Since that voyage 200 years ago, generations of Norwegian Americans have shaped this country in quiet, profound ways — hard work, humility and resilience. Those qualities echo in our communities and remind us that heritage is not just something we inherit but is something we live.”
The crown prince went on to say Decorah’s October celebration was part of what he called a living partnership and encouraged attendees to take inspiration from the courage of the original passengers aboard the Restauration. The prince himself was able to meet some descendants of the historic ship’s passengers during his stop at Vesterheim.
“The Norwegian-American story is a reminder that our relationship is not built on political and economic ties alone, but on the belief that by working together we can create a better future for all,” Haakon said.
The prince was also recognized by Luther College that afternoon. Luther College President Brad Chamberlain awarded Haakon an honorary doctorate inside the college’s Center for Faith and Life, highlighting the prince’s support of human rights, environmental responsibility and the building of bonds between nations.
“Today we lift up the story of a people separated by an ocean but united by a heritage, their values and their collective pursuit of the common good,” Chamberlain said.
The prince said receiving the honorary degree from Luther, as his father had decades prior, was not only a privilege but a moment he would treasure, later adding he would carry the honor as a sign of what binds Norway and the United States together. The prince went on to say the Norwegians who ventured across the ocean 200 years ago may have made the journey in pursuit of land, liberty or religious freedom, but they also built communities in Iowa and across the Midwest, constructing schools, churches and a proverbial bridge between the U.S. and Norway which still holds strong today. He said those bonds proved invaluable during WWII, when the Norwegian royal family fled their home country in April of 1940, as Nazi forces entered the city of Oslo. The prince said his family ultimately travelled to Finland and boarded a vessel sent by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, which then carried them to the United States.
“In those years, America was not just an ally, it was a lifeboat, and for that, Norway will always be grateful,” Haakon said.
Officials with Luther College also unveiled a cornerstone which is to be put in place as the college renovates the Campus House – the oldest building on Luther’s campus and the former office of past college presidents. The building is to serve as the college’s Center for Nordic Studies. The cornerstone bears markings recognizing the 200th anniversary of Norwegian immigration as well as text indicating the stone was dedicated by Norway’s crown prince.